sherlock

Search 400+ social networks for accounts matching a username using the Sherlock CLI.

14|5|Updated Apr 9, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go --skill sherlock-mlt-oss
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: sherlock
Source: https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go/tree/main/optional-skills/security/sherlock
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/MLT-OSS/hermes-agent-go --skill sherlock-mlt-oss

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires sherlock-project.

What problem does it solve? Manually checking whether a username is registered across hundreds of social platforms is slow and error-prone. This Skill automates OSINT username reconnaissance by running the Sherlock CLI and presenting the discovered account URLs in a clean, organized format. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Cross-Platform Username Search: Query 400+ social networks in a single command to find where a username is registered. - Guided Execution Workflow: Verifies Sherlock is installed, extracts the username from the request, builds the correct command, and parses results into categorized links. - Optional Search Modes: Supports NSFW site inclusion, Tor routing, custom timeouts, and site-limited searches when explicitly requested. - Use Case: A security researcher investigating a suspicious handle asks to find accounts for 'johndoe123'; the Skill runs Sherlock and returns a list of matching profile URLs across Twitter, GitHub, Instagram, and more. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to find all social media accounts associated with a specific username, for example: check where the username 'johndoe123' is registered.

Frequently Asked Questions about sherlock

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find social media accounts by username?▼

Run the Sherlock CLI with the target username, for example: sherlock --print-found --no-color "username" --timeout 90. It queries 400+ social networks and prints the URLs of accounts where the username is registered.

How do I install Sherlock for username OSINT searches?▼

Install with pipx using pipx install sherlock-project, or with pip install sherlock-project. Alternatively, run it via Docker with docker run -it --rm sherlock/sherlock <username>. It is also packaged for Debian, Ubuntu, Homebrew, Kali, and BlackArch.

Can Sherlock search anonymously through Tor?▼

Yes, Sherlock supports a --tor flag to route requests through the Tor network, but it requires a running Tor daemon. If Tor is unavailable, you can use the --proxy flag with an alternative proxy instead.

Why does Sherlock return no results for a username?▼

No results usually means the username is genuinely not registered on the checked platforms. Try verifying the spelling, testing variations with the ? wildcard, or checking whether the account was deleted or made private.

What are the limitations of Sherlock username searches?▼

Some sites produce false positives due to their response structure, and aggressive searches can trigger rate limits. Slow or blocking sites may also cause timeouts, which can be mitigated with --timeout or by limiting scope with --site.